Cool. I count 50 people on the stairs in 2015. And 70 in the center. And in 2017 55 people total. So sad how people have lost any ability to count.

On the 2017 photo, I count about 50 people in the center and at least 30 that are in the frame at the bottom. Could be more. It's hard to tell. And there's definitely no way of knowing how many are out of the frame at the bottom.

CARACAS (Reuters) - General Motors said on Wednesday that Venezuelan authorities had illegally seized its plant in the industrial hub of Valencia and vowed to "take all legal actions" to defend its rights.

The seizure comes amid a deepening economic crisis in leftist-led Venezuela that has already roiled many U.S. companies.

"Yesterday, GMV's (General Motors Venezolana) plant was unexpectedly taken by the public authorities, preventing normal operations. In addition, other assets of the company, such as vehicles, have been illegally taken from its facilities," the company said in a statement.

It said the seizure would cause irreparable damage to the company, its 2,678 workers, its 79 dealers and to its suppliers.

Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for information.

Venezuela's car industry has been in freefall, hit by a lack of raw materials stemming from complex currency controls and stagnant local production, and many plants are barely producing at all.

In early 2015, Ford Motor Co wrote off its investment in Venezuela when it took an $800 million pre-tax writedown.

The country's economic crisis has hurt many other U.S. companies, including food makers and pharmaceutical firms. A growing number are taking their Venezuelan operations out off their consolidated accounts.

Venezuela's government has taken over factories in the past. In 2014 the government announced the "temporary" takeover of two plants belonging to U.S. cleaning products maker Clorox Co which had left the country.

Venezuela faces around 20 arbitration cases over nationalizations under late leader Hugo Chavez.

CARACAS (Reuters) - General Motors said on Wednesday that Venezuelan authorities had illegally seized its plant in the industrial hub of Valencia and vowed to "take all legal actions" to defend its rights.

The seizure comes amid a deepening economic crisis in leftist-led Venezuela that has already roiled many U.S. companies.

"Yesterday, GMV's (General Motors Venezolana) plant was unexpectedly taken by the public authorities, preventing normal operations. In addition, other assets of the company, such as vehicles, have been illegally taken from its facilities," the company said in a statement.

It said the seizure would cause irreparable damage to the company, its 2,678 workers, its 79 dealers and to its suppliers.

Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for information.

Venezuela's car industry has been in freefall, hit by a lack of raw materials stemming from complex currency controls and stagnant local production, and many plants are barely producing at all.

In early 2015, Ford Motor Co wrote off its investment in Venezuela when it took an $800 million pre-tax writedown.

The country's economic crisis has hurt many other U.S. companies, including food makers and pharmaceutical firms. A growing number are taking their Venezuelan operations out off their consolidated accounts.

Venezuela's government has taken over factories in the past. In 2014 the government announced the "temporary" takeover of two plants belonging to U.S. cleaning products maker Clorox Co which had left the country.

Venezuela faces around 20 arbitration cases over nationalizations under late leader Hugo Chavez.

DreadNaught wrote:An underwhelming Trump is still better than Hillary's best to me and many others.

Seriously? You're still using Hillary as a yard stick to compare to? Perhaps you should set your expectations a bit higher. No wonder 30 or 35 percent of the country seem to think Trump is doing fine. You people are comparing him to the lowest expectations possible.

DreadNaught wrote:An underwhelming Trump is still better than Hillary's best to me and many others.

Seriously? You're still using Hillary as a yard stick to compare to? Perhaps you should set your expectations a bit higher. No wonder 30 or 35 percent of the country seem to think Trump is doing fine. You people are comparing him to the lowest expectations possible.

1.). Most of his appointees and their work and/or potential work...Sec of State, Sec of defense, SCOTUS

2.). EO on regulation

Crazy to me that appointing the CEO of Exxon is the first thing someone would list in the good category. This is the opposite of draining the swamp. Meanwhile Exxon is again applying for a waiver to drill in areas banned by sanctions. So it's a good thing that we have an appointed Secretary of State that wants to REWARD Russia for invading Ukraine? http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/04 ... mpany.html

Removing the regulations to help prevent another economic crisis like what we had in 2008 is a good thing? You think we need to spend time reviewing regulations that prevent oil drilling in National Parks? Who cares about our air and water? Let's make sure those poor Big Oil guys have it easier.

Personally, The first thing I would have in the good category is pulling out of the TPP.

DreadNaught wrote:An underwhelming Trump is still better than Hillary's best to me and many others.

Seriously? You're still using Hillary as a yard stick to compare to? Perhaps you should set your expectations a bit higher. No wonder 30 or 35 percent of the country seem to think Trump is doing fine. You people are comparing him to the lowest expectations possible.

He ran against Hillary, so that was the alternative. Why wouldn't a comparison be fair?

You're reading too much into an one line of my post and projecting an argument I wasn't making (again). I never said anything about expectation regarding Hillary. I just stated that even an underwhelming Trump is better than Hillary to me. Gorsush on the SC is an example, TPP another, slowing/reversing the tide of illegal (sorry "undocumented") immigration into the country, etc. These are low hanging fruit items that would've continued to get worse had Trump not won.

mightyleemoon wrote:Seriously? You're still using Hillary as a yard stick to compare to? Perhaps you should set your expectations a bit higher. No wonder 30 or 35 percent of the country seem to think Trump is doing fine. You people are comparing him to the lowest expectations possible.

He ran against Hillary, so that was the alternative. Why wouldn't a comparison be fair?

You're reading too much into an one line of my post and projecting an argument I wasn't making (again). I never said anything about expectation regarding Hillary. I just stated that even an underwhelming Trump is better than Hillary to me. Gorsush on the SC is an example, TPP another, slowing/reversing the tide of illegal (sorry "undocumented") immigration into the country, etc. These are low hanging fruit items that would've continued to get worse had Trump not won.

DreadNaught wrote:He ran against Hillary, so that was the alternative. Why wouldn't a comparison be fair?

You're reading too much into an one line of my post and projecting an argument I wasn't making (again). I never said anything about expectation regarding Hillary. I just stated that even an underwhelming Trump is better than Hillary to me. Gorsush on the SC is an example, TPP another, slowing/reversing the tide of illegal (sorry "undocumented") immigration into the country, etc. These are low hanging fruit items that would've continued to get worse had Trump not won.

The flow of illegals had already been reversed under Obama.

I liken the whole illegal immigration issues to a drunk girl laying on the sidewalk focused on complaining about a loose thread on her purse. Sure, it's an issue, but I think you've got bigger issues to worry about, regardless of how important that may seem to you at this moment.

deltbucs wrote:The flow of illegals had already been reversed under Obama.

I liken the whole illegal immigration issues to a drunk girl laying on the sidewalk focused on complaining about a loose thread on her purse. Sure, it's an issue, but I think you've got bigger issues to worry about, regardless of how important that may seem to you at this moment.

I don't disagree there are bigger issues. But immigration was still one of key issue in the election to many voters. Just because it's not important you doesn't mean it isn't to others.

bucfanclw wrote:I liken the whole illegal immigration issues to a drunk girl laying on the sidewalk focused on complaining about a loose thread on her purse. Sure, it's an issue, but I think you've got bigger issues to worry about, regardless of how important that may seem to you at this moment.

I don't disagree there are bigger issues. But immigration was still one of key issue in the election to many voters. Just because it's not important you doesn't mean it isn't to others.

Right. That loose string is VERY important to the drunk girl. In fact, it's the MOST important.

Just like illegal border crossings, which makes up a minority of a fairly consistently declining population of illegal immigrants is VERY important to some voters. In fact, it's the MOST important.